Walking Through Time
by Feeling-Grand
Summary: Everyday he would walk to school, everyday he would continue on his life. But stepping into the new may be scarier than stepping into the past. A Paranorman fic, r
1. Chapter 1

He woke.

He lay in bed for a few minutes, taking in its warmth as he felt the blankets tickle and sooth his toes… the sound of his alarm going and he smiled.

Norman rose up on his bed and just looked around his room.

The sun was shining softly, a golden light casting life and renewal into another day and he got up out of bed, preparing for school.

Often on his walks to school he used to be looked at… people looking at him with fear… judgement… of what he was but now people only looked at him with smiles, waving to him as he passed.

Both the living… and the dead.

_Hey Norman,_

_Good seeing you again,_

The ghosts with greetings going about their unfinished business while people on the street also waved saying,

"_Tell granny I'll visit her grave later,_"

"Say hi to my mum,"

He just smiled, replying,

"Say hi to her yourself, she is always listening,"

People just smiled at him with love as he walked passed them and continued on his way, the day warming up; heat bringing back the life of spring,

The life of the new.

The boy walked on, happy in his step… hope replacing his old melancholy but in the distance a figure watched him in silence.

Watching the boy walking into his future.


	2. Chapter 2

Norman greeted Neil as he met him at the lockers.

"Hey Neil,"

"Hi Norman," Neil said happily, "See any ghosts today?"

"Yeah, a few." He said with a small smile. He opened up his locker and put away some of his books.

The hall was full of noise as students walked with laughter and talk, Norman glad he was one of them now, though even though they left him alone these days, he still found that kids would avoid him… probably because they knew he was so much more than what they had thought.

"Can't wait for lunch," Neil said in a skip as they walked down to their classroom soon after, "Mum packed me double fudge cake."

"That sounds nice."

"Yo, Norman my man!"

Norman squinted slightly with hesitation from Alvin's voice, but shook off the old fear and turned seeing Alvin grinning at him outside class.

"Hey Alvin."

"What's Brit_ney_ been doin' lately?"

"Err… she's just been studying for her final exams… not much really," he said a little hesitant with a smile and Alvin frowned.

"No I meant, who's she seeing?"

"Oh… um… no one?" he said awkward.

"Cool, can you like give me her number? Cos' the one she gave me is for a suicide helpline."

Neil giggled, but Alvin didn't seem to get it and Norman smiled nervous, the bell ringing before saying quickly,

"Oh look, the time. I really gotta get to class."

"Hey chillax my man," Alvin said with a wink, "Teachers out, I heard someone slashed her tires and she couldn't come."

"What…?" Norman said a little shocked, "Why? Who would do that?"

"Hey, don't look at me, peeps. Probably some crazy ex-boyfriend or something."

Norman looked at him worried, just thinking of the bizarreness before swallowing, hearing a few minutes later the principal saying they had a free class, giving early lunch period and he and Neil hung out in the yard, talking to each other but Norman was also talking a ghost boy who was hanging with them.

"Well it's lunch, Neil." Norman said with a weak smile, "You gonna eat your cake?"

The ghost boy, Billy, looked at the cake in Neil's hand hungrily, skinny as a rake as he had died from starvation.

"Maybe a little nibble," Neil said as he unwrapped a bit of the cling wrap and took a bite, "But I really want to save it for the big break."

"I tells ya it's not fair." Billy said annoyed, "That boy's giant and here I am starving."

"You can go into the light whenever you want, you know." Norman said to him quietly, "You have no unfinished business here, you just think you do."

"I can't go until my master returns back and feeds me."

"He isn't coming back, Billy." Norman said, a little sad for his belief, "He's already gone home."

Billy just frowned, holding his forever empty stomach and sighing, before blinking as he heard a rustle and said,

"Something doesn't feel right here."

"Norman," Neil said, the cake completely gone and mumbled ashamed, "I… I did it again."

Norman was too distracted to pay attention, he too could sense something changing in the air… as if close to the feeling he got whenever a vision was about to come but everything seemed normal and he sighed.

Suddenly a ball flung at Neil, smacking the boy hard in the face and he fell over, moaning in pain as he cried,

"OWW!"

"Where'd that come from?" Billy asked flabbergasted and Norman looked around quickly, but there was no one nearby.

"Ow, Norman," Neil said getting up and holding a bloody noise, "I think my noise is bleeding, I need to go to the nurse."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Norman asked, a little afraid for his friend.

"Nah, don't worry. It only feels numb and swollen, I'll be back in a few minutes." Neil said as if it wasn't a big deal and walked off with a carefree step, Norman asking Billy.

"Could you stick with him? I'm just going to see who threw that."

"Yes, sir." Billy said with a salute and followed after Neil, Norman looking around confused, the area silent but saw a shadow from behind a building a stepped towards it nervously, a voice saying,

"Pss…"

His eyebrows lowered confused, coming towards it, feeling a strange feeling in his chest before he reached the corner, just seeing an young adult man in his twenties, Norman blinking… his face looking like one he had seen before.

"Who are you?"

"Is your friend gone?"

Norman looked at him slowly, saying, "You threw the ball."

"Yes, I did… but I have to tell you something."

"Are you from the other side?"

"Do I look like a ghost?"

Norman looked at him quietly… no the man was flesh and bone… but he felt like he had met him before and just shook his head weakly,

"No… I guess not."

"I have to tell you this, I have to warn you to not walk back."

"Huh?" he said confused and the guy sighed.

"Don't go back… leave the past alone, or you will destroy everything."

"I don't understand."

"You will when it comes… just keep away from the past." He said nervously, "Leave it."

"What's your name?"

The young man stiffened, Norman looking at him so confused and the man said slowly,

"A close relative."

He began to leave after that, Norman getting so lost in what this was about but shouted quickly,

"Wait!"

But paused, when he saw the man slowly begin to vanish into the wind, as if dissipating in thin air and Norman took a worried breath, standing there alone but with kids around him in the distance, no one being the wiser for what just happened and Norman only looked at where the man had been.

Still only an eleven year old, there was so much yet he didn't understand.

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**Here's chapter 2, finally. Review if you like this, I'll update again in a little while**


	3. Chapter 3

Neil had to go to the hospital, Norman had a feeling it was that strange guy who had thrown the ball.

He already had a little disliking for that mystic being.

He sighed as he packed his bag after school, walking home by himself, kids laughing as they walked in groups in the distance… well at least they didn't bother him anymore.

He wasn't too sad he hadn't made many other friends in the few months that passed. He had Neil and Alvin as friends, plus many of his ghost pals, and the kids weren't mean to him, just nervous of his ability.

It didn't bother him too much.

Thinking of it, he thought of Agatha… that ghost girl who was also rejected out of fear and was glad he was born in this era, in this time.

He smiled weakly, walking on in his step, humming to himself softly, not really paying attention to his surroundings but with every step he took, that girl lingering in his thoughts, things around him started to change.

They began to fade, the buildings changing to crooked wooden structures, the cement sidewalk turning to dust,

Norman blinked slowly, coming back as he saw the people around him fade and in their places appeared people in dull long dresses… different kinds of suits, shawls on the women's heads as they carried woven baskets… Norman stopping his walk quietly.

He looked around…

The town looked old, worn, dreary and not the same.

The people looked just as old, their outfits conservative, traditional and he stood there confused, looking around as the past town shaped around him.

_Leave the past alone_

That mystic man had warned him.

This was not a vision.

A vision usually had a message in it, to show him something, to warn him of what was to come but everything here seemed calm, the peasant people just going about their everyday lives and he hid quickly behind a wooden building, breathing in fear as he stood in this era.

How did he just get here? How could he just arrive in this time when all he had done was walk forward?

He tried to think of a way to escape, leave this time and place but froze when he saw some ghost children skip by him, laughing in glee and he followed them with his eyes as they approached a girl his age, the girl trying to catch them in tag and he swallowed, realizing,

It was Agatha.

"No Patrick, you cheated," she giggled innocently, trying to catch the ghost boy but only went through him and laughed, "You can't play dead." She said with a small smile, but to everyone around her she was alone.

"Aggy, don't worry," the little blonde girl ghost said with a smile, "I'll get him,"

The blonde girl grabbed Patrick, hurling him over to Aggy and Aggy just giggled at the fun.

People just watched her as she jumped and laughed about to only air in their eyes and Norman's heart nearly froze as a woman came to her saying.

"Stop it, you devil!"

Agatha stopped, looking at her with watery eyes and asked confused,

"Stop what?"

"My son is dead and you know it! Just _STOP_ IT!"

Agatha stepped back upset, she didn't mean any harm and she whispered, "But he's right here…?"

"He is in heaven with God! You are with demons you witch!"

Agatha looked at her, tears coming down her eyes but a small woman came over to her saying to the other,

"I'm sorry, she was just pretending,"

"I didn't mean any harm." Aggy said quietly.

"Your child is conversing with the devil! Trying to bring evil to this town! She'll rotten us all!"

"She won't do it again," the small woman said, holding her daughter's hand quietly and the tall woman just left in anger, as if she was going to break into tears if she stayed any longer and Agatha looked at her mother so confused.

"Why do they say these things to me?" she said in tears, "Why do they always say my friends are bad? They were good when they could see them themselves, but because they still play with me, it's wrong?"

"It's okay, Agatha," her mother said softly, "You are different, but still my angel."

People watched the two, Norman hating their stares at a girl who did nothing wrong.

"Let's go home now,"

"But my friends…?" she said helpless.

"Home is where we have to go,"

Agatha just left in tears, waving her hands goodbye to the ghost children and Norman felt like crying at what he had just witnessed. He walked backwards, not wanting to face this anymore and as he closed his eyes, his steps touched the dirt,

He opened his eyes slowly in hurt and saw the street look the same as when he had woke this morning.

The twenty-first century returning, coming back to the present.


	4. Chapter 4

The tall man watched in the distance as he saw Norman reappear back into this century.

He whispered,

"Perfect."

Norman walked nervously back to his house, tears in his eyes at the sad scene he had just experienced but felt all the time as if someone was watching him.

The man hid behind a building, until Norman was out of his sight and just muttered,

"Not yet, Norman, not yet."

He looked up quickly, seeing Norman's sister coming his direction and stuck out his tongue, she was wearing a mini skirt and texting on her phone.

"Oh no he didn't!" she said to herself as she read the message she had received but paused when she saw the cute guy ahead and fluttered her hand in front of her face quickly. He was hot.

"Hey,"

The guy squinted when she spotted him and turned around to the seventeen year old, a strained face on him.

"Yeah?"

"Do I know you? Like I think I've seen you around before?"

"No, I'm only passing by."

"I'm Britney," she said with a grin and looked him up and down, the guy feeling like he would vomit from the check out "Do you like, go to college around here?"

"No. Look I have to go," he said and pushed her aside, walking awkwardly away and Britney looked at his behind, biting her lip as she said.

"Why are the cute ones always gay?"

XXXXX

Norman lay awake in bed that night, thinking hard about where he had been and what he had seen.

He was sad he knew where Aggy's life would lead… how it would be cut short… and how the past seemed so real now, no longer imagined.

"Norman."

He froze terrified, as before him the man started to materialize and he swallowed. The man stood there in front of his bed, his features being hit by the moonlight and Norman looked at him upset.

"What do you want?"

"You went back today, didn't you?"

"I had no choice."

"I know you didn't but please listen to me."

Norman looked at him slowly, confused.

"Don't try to change it, don't try to stop what happens… leave her alone."

"I don't understand," Norman said in near tears at this maze of loss and confusion, "Were you sent to stop me? Are you from the Ether?"

The man looked down quietly, saying weakly,

"…yes."

"Well why was I giving this power? Why give me something that I can't use? Control?!"

The man looked nervous as he just muttered,

"Just don't go back."

Norman looked at him confused, the man just looked like he was saying what he had to, as if he was not even meaning those words and Norman looked away annoyed,

"I can't stop it if I do."

"I know,"

He looked at the man lost, and the man only repeated.

"Just leave her alone."

He began to walk away and Norman tried to get up to stop him but the man had already disappeared and he felt his heart beat slowly.

Leave her alone...

...but why?

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**Yo, this was a short chapter, but I quite enjoyed writing it, new chapter sooner than later. Bye.**


	5. Chapter 5

Norman just tapped his pen on the desk that day at school, so many thoughts swimming around in his mind and could see his classmates whispering and passing notes to each other as the teacher taught the lesson plan.

This school had been built once the old one had been destroyed many years… these grounds always used for school buildings and he sighed.

As he stepped out into the yard that day, Neil absent for some reason he watched as students talked and whispered things to each other, Norman stepping out among the yard and feeling a hate in his heart… but didn't know why.

But with every step he took he could feel it happening… the past coming all around him as the sky grew grey and the students changed to poor children… laughing and playing and taunting her in the yard.

"Why don't you tell Satan that you deserve to go to hell, Aggy!"

"Stop it!" she yelled, "L-leave me alone!"

The kids laughed at her, pushing her to the ground and that stung his heart… he hated this.

She was covered in mud, trying to get up but the kids just pushed her down again and he couldn't take it, running in front of them and shouting,

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

The kids all froze stiff… looking at Norman in terror… his weird clothes… his strange appearance and quickly ran off, Norman turning to Aggy on the ground and giving her his hand,

"Are you okay?"

She just looked at him in fear… not knowing what to do and Norman just whispered,

"I won't hurt you…"

She looked at him quietly… something in her telling her this was truth and accepted his hand, Norman helping her up but she pulled away once she was standing and asked from a distance,

"Who are you…?"

"Someone…" Norman said quietly, seeing the hurt in her eyes and how it had once matched his own,

"Someone who understands…"

"I'm Aggy…" she said quietly, "Agatha… but… but you can call m-me Aggy,"

Norman didn't know what to say, looking at her nervous if he should give his name… seeing as he should never be here.

"Norman…" he said so quietly, "Norman Babcock."

"That's a strange name," she said with a small smile and he gave a small chuckle back,

"Not as strange as yours…"

"Do you want to play…?"

Norman looked at her quietly… not knowing what to do. He saw Aggy's blue eyes looking at him with hope, and decided… he couldn't say no… knowing that this girl was not going to be around for much longer.

"Sure,"

She giggled, leading him out the yard into the woods and Norman followed nervously…

…away in the distance the tall man looked at him with disdain.

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**Hey, I wasn't even going to update this but was reading the story and didn't like how I just left it like that... yeah, I am really bad with updates... at least I'm putting something out? Not much though... sorry.**


	6. Chapter 6

They entered into the woods in silence, Norman looking around at the place where Aggy's body would lay finally in peace in the future.

He didn't say a thing but.

"The children were just playing," she said nervously, looking at him with a small smile, "I know they didn't mean it."

"Do you often get bullied?"

"Bullied… what does that mean?"

He became silent… not knowing how he could explain.

"Picked on, get pushed around."

"Oh yes… but it's not the children I'm afraid of… it's the adults."

With good reason…

But he didn't say.

He watched Aggy as she started to play with the dead ghost animals of the forest and smiled nervously of still being here.

She played with some deer that had been hunted probably sometime recent in her timeline and he watched as she patted the invisible translucent skin.

"Norman is a very strange name," she said with a bit of happiness, "I've never heard it before."

"It came from my mom."

"Mom? What's a mom…?"

"Mother," he responded quickly, "Mom is just… a nickname."

"Nickname?"

"I really shouldn't be doing this…" he said quietly to himself, looking at the confused girl he just saw staring back at him with lost eyes and worry and away from the deer finally, "aren't you gonna play?"

"I'm waiting for the ghost children to come."

He looked at her confused… did she always tell people what she was doing… did she not see the danger?

"Maybe you shouldn't talk like that, Agatha…"

"Why? What do you mean…?" she asked confused.

"People can't see what we see… it makes them scared."

"You see it too?"

Oh crap… what did he just say?

"Why do you wear such funny clothes?"

"My mom… buys them in a different area."

"Really…?"

He was really screwing up his future now, wasn't he…?

He froze suddenly when he noticed the strange man in the distance… swallowing nervous… he was really in for it.

The man pointed at him hard, telling him to get away from her and Norman gave her a nervous smile saying, "I've really got to go."

"Oh…" Aggy said, getting upset, "So soon… but we… we just met?"

"I'm sorry," he muttered, not knowing what else to say and left in awkward steps as he walked quietly away.

"What are you doing?" the man yelled at him fast, pulling him away and Norman gasped shocked at his rough touch… he was not expecting that.

"Let me go!" he yelled fast… the man's hand holding tight to his wrists, "I was just being her friend! She needed it!"

"You are so foolish…" the man said and Norman started to freak as suddenly the past started to erase and he saw them walk forward but pulled quickly away.

The man looked at him annoyed.

"Come on, Norman."

"How are you doing that?"

The man looked around nervous. Norman examining him more closely… and how his power was so similar to his… he didn't understand…

What was it with this strange man… that made him so scared...

"Who are you?" he asked quietly,

The man looked at him

…and said,

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What did he say? Gah! But I think you already know ;D. Anyway, for once a quick update! Aren't you lucky! Bye!


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